Z170 Extreme4 where is my RAM
Printed From: ASRock.com
Category: Technical Support
Forum Name: Intel Motherboards
Forum Description: Question about ASRock Intel Motherboards
URL: https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3740
Printed Date: 21 Jul 2025 at 6:07am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Z170 Extreme4 where is my RAM
Posted By: gvenko
Subject: Z170 Extreme4 where is my RAM
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 4:55am
| Hi. I have strange problem: On this MB I have http://vali.bg/%3caction=order_preview" rel="nofollow - GEIL memory 16GB(8GBx2) PC4-19200 2400Mhz CL16-16-16-36 EVO POTENZA - but I needed to install W7 32bit, so expected windows to see about 4GB RAM. In fact Windows see only 2GB and I don't understand why. The shared memory for graphics is set to 32MB (the lowest possible). The CPU is http://vali.bg/%3caction=order_preview" rel="nofollow - Intel Skylake i3-6100 |
Replies:
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 12:49pm
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By chance the win 7 you have....??? Windows 7 Starter x86 does only recognize 2GB https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778%28v=vs.85%29.aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7" rel="nofollow - HERE is the MSDN Win7 link that shows usable/available memory limits on the differing Windows 7 editions. |
Posted By: gvenko
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 6:48pm
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The Windows is 7 Ultimate and its not the first time I install this release. The problem is elsewhere. I think in MB. |
Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 10:17pm
What UEFI/BIOS version do you have in your board now? Your GEIL EVO Potenza (this model, GPR432GB2400C15QC, but a 16GB kit?) as an 8GB DIMM is double sided (DS), which should be used in the A1 and B1 slots. Can you run CPU-Z to check if your memory is running is dual channel mode? This is an example of CPU-Z on an X99 board. On the upper right we can see the number of channels being used, on the upper left we can find the amount of memory being detected:  ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow"> 
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gvenko wrote:Posted By: gvenko
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 2:55am
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The memory is installed in A1 and B1 slots and BIOS and memtest86 report dual channel. I will run CPU-Z tomorrow and see the version of BIOS. p.s. Windows detect 16GB but use only 2GB. |
Posted By: wtuppa
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 3:22am
| " rel="nofollow - have you checked the memory ranges of all your devices in the Windows device manager (view by resources)? Probably you will see there, why only 2GB are used and which device is registering for the rest of the memory space. |
Posted By: gvenko
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 3:46am
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The problem is not what device is using the available memory. The problem is that available memory is only 2GB and should be 4GB. |
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 1:17pm
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gvenko, we're here attempting to assist you. Try and find/take a different tone with us please. You seem defensive and that's never a good tone to attract/invite others here to help. |
Posted By: gvenko
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 4:00pm
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I have now the latest ver. 7 BIOS. The ram is GPR416GB2400C16DC (single sided) and I tryed all posible variants - single channel, dual channel, A1+B1, A2+B2 still the same. I tryed with external video card and in that case usable ram is 2,34GB
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Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 4:51pm
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" rel="nofollow - I don't remember where in 7 it is but there's a tab that will display things like "PC Name" "OS Build" "Processor" and also "Installed RAM" How much RAM does that screen/page say is installed in your computer? |
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 4:56pm
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Oh!. Ya know what may be happening here ......... https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/978610" rel="nofollow - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/978610 Read that link top to bottom, then check/follow at "Things to Try" and follows the instructions beginning at step 1 and on through 4
Let us know if that corrects the issue there you're having. |
Posted By: Xaltar
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 5:13pm
" rel="nofollow - From Wardog's link:
Is your copy of windows 7 activated? If not then it defaults to "Starter Edition" and that could well be the issue. ------------- 
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Posted By: gvenko
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2016 at 2:47am
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Installed 16GB. I found some option in BIOS with 3 choices: Dynamic, 2,5GB and 3,5GB. I leaved it on 3,5GB and Windows see 2,7GB. This is best I can do at this moment. |
Posted By: wtuppa
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2016 at 4:04am
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once more about the Windows device manager (view by resources). I wanted to check, which memory ranges are used by which devices. That means this ranges are not available for RAM mapping (that's why you cannot have 4GB memory with 32bit operating system). e.g. my PCI Bus uses a lot of memory range (for different devices), in total 1.35GB!! My Ethernet Controller needs only 128KB. Due to some alignment, there are usually some holes in between, that cannot be used. The HD530 Graphics uses 256MB + 16MB (with a hole of 224MB) [part of the PCI space]. The mainboard resources uses even more memory in total [outside of PCI]. So my MB (also I use a 64bit Windows 7), the 32bit are can hold only a bit more than 2GB, since the low MB and everything above 0x89000000 (2,3GB) is reserved for some memory mapped I/O resources. for 64bit system, most memory is mapped above 4GB. That is why I was asking for the memory ranges of devices... I even think 2,7 GB may be already the maxmmimum that you can reach... Regards Walter |
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2016 at 4:24am
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Using Windows own Snipping Tool, show us a FULL pic of the Memory tab of Resource Monitor, resmon.exe. That will show us where it's at/going/allotted to. |
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2016 at 4:30am
Mine here just now: |
Posted By: gvenko
Date Posted: 09 Nov 2016 at 3:59am
I contacted Asrock support team and here what they explain:So the maximum is 2,7GB. Sad but nothing to do. Thanks to all for help but this case is solved. |